How to... record LIVE TV stream on laptop

[#1]

I didn't say I had tried it just googled it.
Don't watch TV that much anyway, and never on the PC.
As for installing loads of files in a folder, luckily on Linux all you have to do is delete the folder not like M$ where the registry is so bloated it needs cleaning then falls over.

[#2]

Very true.

A TV screen will give better quality video than any PC.

But I tend to download programmes to my PC & use it as a media player.

My TV will play video files via DLNA.

So I generally get limited to iPlayer - but I'd like to have access to the Channel 4 catch-up programmes.

BTW it only takes 10 minutes to set up a VM and it's an excellent way of testing non-repository software.

[#3]

Finally!!!

Just found out how to do it properly (in Linux) to give what appears to be SD quality.

vokoscreen is a screen capture program which gives a H264/AAC format in a MKV file.

AFAIK it didn't drop any frames in 45 minutes of a full-screen capture.

[#4]

IF vlc will play it then you can capture using it. The usual issue is DRM.

[#5]

Most (but not all) TV catch-up services stream the content, which means you are beholden to them.

Since my TV doesn't do flash, I require a download.

This gives two choices - torrents or screen capture off of my PC.